New weapons in the battle with melanoma. Cancer došlápne a virus!

The number of people with melanoma has increased in the Czech Republic for the past 30 years four times. Each year die from this cancer of the skin about 450 Czechs. Now the looming chance of mankind in a battle with melanoma finally score points.

Miraculous pembrolizumab

When former US President Jimmy Carter last year announced that its advanced skin cancer apparently retreated, many of Carter's supporters saw it as a miracle. Havel said doctors described it as key to the success of one of the drugs that had been deployed - pembrolizumab. This active substance was, along with several other approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use only in recent years.

Cancer on the horizon? Drain viruses!

The active compounds of budding waves on which now carries the treatment of melanoma can be divided into two groups. The first group includes active immunotherapy: ipilimumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, peginterferon alfa-2b, talimogen laherparepvec.

The first three substances work by releasing a brake mechanism of the immune system, thus allowing it to better fight the tumor cells. The latter change cleverly uses viral particles to destroy tumor. The dose of the drug, which is a modified herpes virus is injected directly into the tumor site. Here, the virus attacks the cancer cells and multiply therein until cells crowded viral particles, will not break and dies. Ingenious, is not it?

Targeted genetic mutations

The second group of drugs belonging to the family of targeted drugs in our country, also known as biologic drugs. What is the objective against which it is directed? Genetic mutations occurring in some types of melanomas. On their focus as the substances: cobimetinib, dabrafenib, trametinib, vemurafenib.

Success in four out of ten

How do these medications have proved in practice? According to the American professor Joseph oncosurgery Skitzkeho able to help four of the ten patients. This is a remarkable progress since earlier drugs used in chemotherapy occupied in about one man out of ten. Not all patients with melanoma in an advanced stage of the new treatment will help, but for many it can for a considerable time to keep the disease at bay and prolong active life. As with any treatment, even newly tested drugs may occur side effects. Among the FDA include symptoms similar to flu or herpes development.

Questions and Answers

To answer questions which drug will prove to be the most promising, it is still too early. As immunotherapy, and targeted therapy show very promising results, however, so far it seems that immunotherapy could have longer lasting effects. If you want to know about the problems of melanomas more, you can read, such as website www.melanomy.cz or consult our skin clinic .